Steam-turbine.



f A. E, STERZING.

STEAM uRslNE.

Y APPLICAIN FILED MINE 22| 91T- r 1 ,281 ,22%. Patented Oct. 8, 19181..

4 SHEETS-SHEET L I J Imn/fw@ A. A. E. STERZING.

STEAM TURBINE.

APPLICATLON FILED JUNEzz. |911.

1,281,224. v Patented 0ot.8,1918

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A. A. Ii. 4SIEIIZING STEAM TURBINE.

APPLICATION FILED IuNEzz. I9I1.

vPasented Oct. 8, 1918.

ALBERT A. E. STERZING, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

STEAM-TURBINE.

Application filed J une 22, 1917.

To all whom t may concern.'

' Be it known that I, ALBERT A. E. -STERZ- ING, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and resident of the city and county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Turbines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to steam turbine engines, and its object is to provide an apparatus of simple and eliicient construction and operation whereby the maximum expansive force of the steam with a steady and sustained action of the engine is attained.

Accordingly my invention comprises an engine of the character mentioned having a novel construction and arrangement of rotor and stator elements, whereof the complementary reaction pockets are staggered in radial and circumferential relation to each other and are of such configuration that the steam is directed in a sinuous outward course from rotor chamber to stator chamber in alternation in such a manner as to expand against and react upon the opposing impact surfaces of the outwardly succeeding pockets.

The invention also comprises various features of construction and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a steam turbine embodying the preferred form of my invention, parts of the kstructure being broken away forclcarness.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section, as on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan of the apparatus, parts being broken away.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section, as on the line y 4.-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5, is a similar section, as on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail, as on the line 6 6 of'rig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a sectional detail, on a larger scale, of one of the end heads of the stator and the adjacent member of the rotor, showing a slight change in the'form of the reaction pockets.

Fig. 8 is a vertical section, as on the line 8-8 of Figs. 7 and 3, indicating the circuitous course of the steam as it` passes outwardly through succeeding pockets.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 176,261.

Fig. 9 is a face elevation of the portion of the rotor element shown in Fig. 7.

The stator comprises a cylinder 10; circular end heads 11 thereon, and pocketed partition members 12 spaced apart within the cylinder, the whole being clamped together by transverse tie-bolts 13 adjacent the periphery of the structure.

The rotor includes pocketed circular members 14 alternating with the pocketed members of the stator, and keyed or otherwise affixed to a central shaft 15 which is journaled in appropriate bearings 16 in the end heads of the stator. As shown the shaft bearings are provided with suitable passages and ducts for a lubricant. The central or hub portion of the rotor includes a series of spacing rings 17 which, together with the adjacent portions of the rotor members, are keyed to the shaft, the stator members being centrally perforated to receive and encircle the rings. The hub and ring portions of the rotor members are firmly held together by means of transverse bolts 18. The outer or end rings of the rotor are preferably peripherally stepped, as at 19, and rotatably fitted to corresponding bearing portions in the stator heads 1l so as to insure a practically steam-tight connection. The rotor hub is provided concentrically thereof with a series of spaced-apart ports 20 extending therethrough longitudinally of the shaft, the Walls of those portions of the ports formed within the rings 17 being provided with annular channels 21 which communicate through inclined orifices (constituting ducts or nozzles) 22 with the respective steam spaces between the adjacent members of the rotor and stator.

.The circular series of ports 20 are in communication through a series of ports 23 in one of the stator heads with a common steam chamber 24 constituted by a chest 25 which is secured to the adjacent head of the stator; a steam supply port 26 leading into the chamber. The ports 23 in the stator head correspond in number with the ports 20 in the rotor and are correspondingly spaced in circular series; the ports 23 being inclined to the axis of rotation so as to deliver the steam in the direction of travel of the rotor. The annular channel 21 in the outerring of the rotor turns in close proximity to the ports 23 of thestator head, which ports are so formed and spaced in relation to the ports Patented Oct. 8, 1918.

2O of the rotor that each of the ports 23 always registers, to a greater or less extent, with two adjacent ports 20, thus insuring uninterrupted distributive communication between the steam chest and the series of rotor ports. In order to reduce the weight of the rotating members the ports 20 are indicated as much larger than is actually necessary for the efficient ingress of steam.

The rotor members 14 terminate short of the cylinder to provide outer annular spaces to receive the steam after its action upon said members, which spaces are in communication with each other through openings 27 in the outer edges of the stator members. The chamber thus formed is provided with a suitably-disposed exhaust steam outlet 28.

Each member of the stator and rotor (excepting the outer Walls of the stator heads) is provided'in each of its faces with a'plurality of concentric series of pockets 29, those of each series bein in uniform order 0f succession. Each poc et is -shaped in face view, the curved end wall (a) thereof constituting a steam impact surface. The inner wall (Z2) of the pocket extends angularly outward from the inner or basal part of its impact surface to the corresponding surface of the next succeeding pocket of the series, thus affording a continuous succession of'elongated steam reaction chambers having curved impact surfaces and angularly disposed surfaces. rIhe angularity of the chambers in one face ofv the member is reversely of that of the chambers in the other face thereof, and the rotor and stator members are so arranged that the chambers in the adjacent walls of the respective memasY bers are in opposite relation to e-ach othei1V and bridge'or overlap, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The end heads of the stator' are formed with inclinedY reaction chambers on their inner faces only, but each of the internal members is provided with such chambers in both its faces as above mentioned.

The circular walls separating the successive serie's ofconcentric chambers in each face project'laterally of the apices of the chambers so as to provide concentric ribs 30, and each of said apiees is provided midway between successive ribs thereof with semicircularrecesses 31 with which the proximate ribs of successive members are in registry, thus insuring duringthe rotation of 'the rotor a circuitous path for the steam as it expands circumferentially and radially outward from the inner to the outer chambers constituted by the complementary pocketed surfaces of the'stator and rotor, as indicated in Fig. 8. i

Steam admitted to the ports 20 from the common chamber `24: supplied from the inlet 26 as above mentioned, flows by way of the inclined openings 22 into the inner chambers chambers, flowing in a sinuous course from chamber to chamber and continuously exerting a turning effort on the opposing surfaces presented by the semi-circular end walls of the succeeding series of pockets. The steam thus impinges against a multiplicity of reaction surfaces throughout the interior of the structure and exerts its maximum expansion force with a steady and 'sustainedturning operation on therotor; this important result being contributed to `by the gradual increase in size of the succeeding steam chambers from the inner to the outer portionof the apparatus; as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 8.

By reference to Figs. 2 and 5 it will be observed that the ducts 22 in the hub members of the rotor are so relatively arranged that a duct lea'ds'to'` each pocket of each inner lseries of rotor pockets, in a pathkinclined toward and in the direction of rotation of the latter, whereby thel steam admitted to the ports 20 as above mentioned impinges in a series of jets iirst against the respective curved 'surfaces a of they said series of pockets and then' back aga-inst the corresponding opposed surfaces of the stator pockets. Since the rows of ducts 22 are a unitary part of the rotor and thus bear a fixed relation to the respective pockets to which they lead, a uniform andA uninterrupted supply of steam to the said pockets is eected, thus insuring a continuous turning moment.

It is to be noted that the curved end walls of the coordinated pockets of the stator and rotor elements deflect the steam. ina smooth and easy path to and upon the inclined inner walls of the pockets and that such walls during their relative rotation vtend similarly to deiiect the steam continuously from and between opposing pockets. Owing to the particular form and arrangement of" the steam pockets above described the rotor` members are Veffectually balanced at all points of their travel without recoursev to extraneous balancing devices. i

In Fig. 3 I have shown the'adjacent portions ofthe impact surfaces ofthe rotor and stator members, respectively, as provided with lateral lips '32 which are designed to restrict to some extent the lateral flow of' the steam; but this feature is not essential. 'In Fig. 7 is shown a construction in whiclithe lips are omitted. 'Y j It is to be understood that myV invention is not limited to thedetails of' construction shown and described, as the same. may be modified within the principle of"my invention and the scope ofthe appendediclaims.

I claim- 1. In a turbine engine, the ycombination with a stator element having concentric series of facial reaction chambers constituted by 'D -shaped pockets having angular inner walls, thereby presenting curved impact surfaces and angular directing surfaces, of a rotor element having concentric series of facial chambers corresponding in form with and bridging the adjacent chambers of the stator element, the directing surfaces of the adjacent chambers in the rotor and stator elements being in opposite relation to cach other, and said chambers gradually increasing in size from the inner to the outer series.

2. In a turbine engine, the combination with a stator element having concentric series of facial reaction chambers constituted by D -shaped pockets having angular inner walls, thereby presenting curved impact surfaces and angular directing surfaces, of a rotor element having concentric series of facial chambers corresponding in form with and bridging the adjacent chambers of the stator element, the directing surfaces of the adjacent chambers in the rotor and stator elements being in opposite relation to each other, and said chambers gradually increasing in size from the inner to the outer series, said rotor element including a hub portion provided with steam ports having ducts leading therefrom to the innermost series of chambers of the rotor element, said ducts being in a path inclined toward the direction of rotation of the latter.

3. In a turbine engine, the combination with a series of spaced stator elements having concentric series of facial reaction chambers constituted by D -shaped pockets having angular inner walls, thereby presenting curved impact surfaces and angular directing surfaces, of a rotor comprising spaced elements alternating with said stator elements and having concentric series of facial chambers corresponding in form with and bridging the adjacent chambers of the stator elements, the directing surfaces of the chambers in the adjacent walls of the rotor and stator elements being in opposite relation to each other and said chambers gradually increasing in size from the inner to the outer series, each of said stator and rotor elements having concentric ribs alternating with its series of chambers.

4. In a turbine engine, the combination with a series of spaced stator elements having concentric series of facial reaction chambers constituted byD -shaped pockets having angular inner walls, thereby presenting curved impact surfaces and angular directing surfaces, of a rotor comprising spaced elements alternating with said stator elements and havingconcentric series of facial chambers corresponding in form with and bridging the adjacent chambers of the stator elements, the directing surfaces of the chamseries, said stator and rotor elements having bers in the adjacent walls of the rotor and stator elements being in opposite relation to each other, and said chambers gradually increasing in size from the inner to the outer concentric ribs and grooves inclose relation to the chambers of said elements, theribs and grooves of the stator elements registering with the grooves and lribs respectively of the rotor elements. y j

5. In a turbine engine, the combination with a stator comprising a cylinder, end heads and stationary elements spaced apart between said heads, said heads having concentric series of reaction chambers in their inner faces, and said elements each having concentric series of chambers in both faces, each series of chambers being constituted by :D-shaped pockets having angular inner walls, thereby presenting curved impact surfaces and angular directing surfaces, of a rotor comprising spaced elements alternating with the stator elements, each of said rotor elements having in both faces thereof concentric series of chambers corresponding in form with and bridging the adjacent chambers of the stator elements, the directing surfaces of the chambers in the adjacent walls of the rotor and stator elements being in opposite relation to each other, and said chambers gradually increasing in size from the inner to the outer series, each of said stator and rotor elements having concentric ribs alternating with its series of chambers.

6. In a turbine engine, the combination with a stator comprising a cylinder, end heads and stationary elements spaced apart between said heads, one of said heads having a concentric series of steam ingress ports 105 and said heads and elements having concen- `tric series of facial reaction chambers, of a rotor comprising spaced elements alternating with said stator elements and having concentric series of facial chambers corresponding with and bridging the adjacent chambers of the stator elements, and having also hub portions provided with a concentric series of steam ports in communication with the rotor and stator chambers, said latter ports corresponding with the steam ingress ports in the stator head and establishing communication therewith, and a steam supply chamber communicating with the ports of said stator head.

7. In a turbine engine, the combination with a stator comprising a cylinder, end heads and stationary elements spaced apart between said heads, one of said heads having a concentric series of steam ingress ports, and said heads and elements having concentric series of facial reaction chambers, of a rotor comprising spaced elements a1- ternating with said stator elements but terminating short of the casing to provide an mme@ anua exhaust s'teafriiohlbel,l sid lrotor stezinivingess. portsinthe stator. head and elements hayirigooneentrio series of 'cial establishingEcommunioation theiewith, A.amd 10 chmbers oor'resp'onding )with Iand bridging @steam supply chamber `comixmnieating y the djacent chambers of the stator elements, with the ports of saidstator head. i I l "5 and hag also'hub portions provided with Signed at New York inthe county and `L coneentii'o series of steam ports lincoln# State oi' New York this 18th day of Juno Inunieation Wththe rotor and stator cham 1917. bers',sai`d1atter ports coriespondng with the ALBERT A. E. STERZING.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five `tents coolyby addressing the Commissioner of SPa/cents Washingtoml). C. v 

